WORCESTER - The City Council has agreed to a 90-day trial for a series of changes to rules and regulations governing livery companies and livery drivers operating in the city.

By a 9-1 vote, the council last night supported the changes recommended by its Municipal Operations Committee, intended to ease ongoing tensions between the local taxicab and livery industries.

Under the new rules, livery companies must own and control licenses for livery drivers, and drivers will only be able to have a livery driver's license if they are employed by a livery company.

Also, drivers who own and operate their own cars, which are licensed as livery vehicles, can only operate them as liveries if affiliated with a livery company.

In addition, livery operators will only be able to pick up customers by appointment, with a minimum of two hours advance notice; the number of livery licenses will be capped at the current level, which is about 96; and livery companies will be required to maintain a physical office with log books and pertinent records.

Livery drivers will also have to produce a special work order drafted by the city, when required to do so, while waiting to pick up customers at Union Station or Worcester Regional Airport. The work order is to show that the customer had previously placed a pick-up reservation with a livery company.

Another significant change is that oversight for livery cars and drivers will be placed under the jurisdiction of the License Commission.

While the Police Department will still be involved in regulating local taxi and livery operators, the License Commission is intended to provide the public with a forum to address any complaints they may have.

District 5 Councilor William J. Eddy, a member of the Municipal Operations Committee, praised the behind-the-scenes efforts of Mayor Joseph M. Petty, Councilor-at-Large Joseph C. O'Brien and District 4 Councilor Sarai Rivera for getting representatives of the taxi and livery industries to the table to discuss the changes, as well as the leadership of Councilor-at-Large Michael J. Germain for getting the matter through before the Municipal Operations Committee.

He said the changes are intended to address complaints that taxi owners have long raised about livery operators, as well as improve overall service to the public.

“I am optimistic these (changes) have a chance to succeed,” Mr. Eddy said.

She said she fears the changes will end up creating two parallel taxi systems in the city and lead to further tensions between taxi and livery owners.

“I think we will eventually have to re-visit this,” Mrs. Lukes said.

Limousine and shuttle services are regulated as “livery services” under state law. A livery is hired on a prearranged basis and does not have a rate meter, nor is it allowed to charge for services based upon miles. Also, liveries are not allowed to pick up fares on the street.

But cab owners have frequently complained that some livery operators are not following the rules governing their service.

The council earlier this year voted to impose a moratorium on the issuance of new licenses for liveries so it could assess the situation and determine whether a cap on livery licenses is needed.